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Call for release of Cuban Five

Dozens of New Zealand supporters of civil rights have added their names to a letter being delivered to the US consulate in Auckland at 4pm Thursday demanding the release of five Cubans jailed in the USA.

“Their so-called crime was to gather information about terrorist groups that operate on US soil and carry out attacks in Cuba,” said Mike Treen on behalf of the NZ Cuba Friendship Society.

“Their actions helped prevent terrorist actions and protected innocent civilians. It is a travesty of justice for them to remain in jail for so long.”

The letter signed by union leaders, law professors, student leaders and others says:

“These men have been held in jail now for ten years. Continuation of their imprisonment is an absolute injustice. Therefore, we urge the United States government to free the Cuban Five now!”

Cuba 5 attorney Leonard Weinglass has described the recent judgement as exhibiting "ideological prejudice" and noted the issuing it Gerardo's birthday suggested that it was intentional. The case Weinglass states is "one of those situations where I believe that the US government is using the justice system to achieve a foreign policy objective".